System and method for bidding on contingency-based matters

• US 8,229,797 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2008
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michele Colucci-Zieger
• Original Assignee: Michele Colucci-Zieger
• Inventors: Colucci-Zieger, Michele
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Amee A
• Application Number:
  US12/140,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20080313072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/25, 705/26, 705/26.43, 705/311, 705/26.1, 705/26.41
• US Class Current: 705/26.41
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/18 Legal services

Abstract

A system comprises a web server for posting matters of clients for bidding by contingency professionals, e.g., contingency lawyers and/or judgment collectors; a client matter engine for enabling a particular client to post a particular matter and to select a particular contingency professional bidding on the particular matter to handle the particular matter; a professional bidding engine for enabling the particular contingency professional to review at least a portion of the posted matters and to bid on the particular matter; and a bidding exchange engine for enabling the particular client and the particular contingency professional to communicate without exchanging direct contact information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

enabling, by a computer system, a client to post a contingency matter on a website managed by an operator;

obtaining, by the computer system, from the client a first agreement binding the client to an operator lien wherein a contingency fee payable to the operator is secured by the operator lien, wherein the contingency fee is contingent on an outcome of the contingency matter;

enabling, by the computer system, a contingency professional to bid on the contingency matter;

obtaining, by the computer system, from the contingency professional a second agreement binding the contingency professional to enforce the operator lien before payment to the client of any proceeds received from the contingency matter;

enabling, by the computer system, the client to select the contingency professional to handle the contingency matter; and

permitting, by the operator, exchange of direct contact information between the client and the contingency professional only after the obtaining the first and second agreements, thereby assisting in preventing the client and the contingency professional from circumventing the first agreement and the second agreement.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting that the client agree to the operator lien occurs at or before the time of registration of the client.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting that the client agree to the operator lien specifically for the contingency matter.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting that the contingency professional agree to enforce the operator lien at or before the time of registration of the contingency professional.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting that the contingency professional agree to enforce the operator lien specifically for the contingency matter.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting that the client sign an operator lien agreement.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting that the contingency professional sign an acknowledgement of receipt of client instructions to execute the operator lien based on the outcome of the contingency matter.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting that the contingency professional sign an agreement to enforce the operator lien.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the operator lien includes a percentage of any proceeds received from the contingency matter.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting that the contingency professional first obtain an agreement to enforce the operator lien from another contingency professional before being allowed to transfer the case to the other contingency professional.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising requiring that the client agree to the operator lien.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising requiring that the contingency professional agree to enforce the operator lien.

13. A system comprising:

a processor;

a client matter engine, operable by the processor, for enabling a client to post a contingency matter on a web site managed by an operator and for enabling the client to select a particular contingency professional to handle the contingency matter from a set of bidding contingency professionals;

means for obtaining from the client a first agreement binding the client to an operator lien for the benefit of the operator, wherein a contingency fee payable to the operator is secured by the operator lien, wherein the contingency fee is contingent on an outcome of the contingency matter;

a bidding engine for enabling the particular contingency professional to bid on the contingency matter;

means for obtaining from the particular contingency professional a second agreement binding the particular contingency professional to enforce the operator lien before payment to the client of any proceeds received from the contingency matter; and

means for permitting, by the operator, exchange of direct contact information between the client and the contingency professional only after the obtaining the first and second agreements, thereby assisting in preventing the client and the contingency professional from circumventing the first agreement and the second agreement.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for obtaining from the client the first agreement includes a client registration engine.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for obtaining from the client the first agreement is part of the client matter engine.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for obtaining from the particular contingency professional the second agreement includes a registration engine.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for obtaining from the particular contingency professional the second agreement includes a bidding engine.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for obtaining from the client the first agreement includes means for requiring that the client sign an operator lien agreement.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for obtaining from the particular contingency professional the second agreement includes means for requesting that the particular contingency professional sign an acknowledgement of receipt of client instructions to enforce the operator lien based on the outcome of the contingency matter.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for obtaining from the particular contingency professional the second agreement includes means for requesting that the particular contingency professional sign an agreement to enforce the operator lien.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the operator lien includes a percentage of any proceeds received from the contingency matter.

22. The system of claim 13, further comprising means for requesting that the particular contingency professional obtain an agreement to enforce the operator lien from another contingency professional before being allowed to transfer the case to the other contingency professional.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for obtaining from the client the first agreement includes means for requiring that the client agree to the operator lien.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for obtaining from the particular contingency professional the second agreement includes means for requiring that the contingency professional agree to enforce the operator lien.